1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to an improved user interface for a computer operating system which provides different operating modes and enhanced features. The present invention is particularly useful in conjunction with an entertainment setting, such as when a computer is used from a distance and/or in conjunction with a television broadcast, movie, or a sporting event.
2. Related Art
The use of personal computers in connection with televisions and other mass media has recently become a reality. Some personal computers can now be equipped with plug-in television boards which permit viewing of a television broadcast in a window on the computer monitor. Additionally, so-called xe2x80x9clarge screenxe2x80x9d televisions providing combined television and PC viewing capabilities have also been introduced. One such product, announced in 1996 by the Gateway Corporation, provides a personal computer system with a large viewing screen, and a wireless keyboard, remote control, and mouse.
The combination of personal computer functions with television and other media/entertainment functions creates several problems when a single viewing display is used for both functions. For example, traditional remote controls associated with televisions do not include keys which are useful for computer applications. Providing a separate remote control for the television and one for computer functions, however, unfortunately contributes to the proliferation of remote controls in a house.
The aforementioned Gateway product provides some limited support for controlling computer functions from an integrated remote control. However, it fails to solve many problems associated with providing computer functions in a large-screen setting. Moreover, displaying conventional computer-related functions on a television screen during a television broadcast clutters up the screen and detracts from the entertainment value of the programming. Thus, merely transferring computer related user interface features from a computer display to the larger screen format are disadvantageous.
As one example, computers which use a windows-based operating system such as Windows95 provide a xe2x80x9ctaskbarxe2x80x9d display component at the bottom part of the screen which is normally fixed on the screen. This taskbar often includes a xe2x80x9cSTARTxe2x80x9d button at the lower left hand corner which, when activated by the user via a mouse or keyboard, displays a list of options for starting or xe2x80x9claunchingxe2x80x9d applications. Displaying such a taskbar while watching a television program detracts from the program and takes up valuable display space. Moreover, when a user is sitting on a couch, requiring the user to use a mouse or keyboard to activate the start button is inconvenient. Once the user launches an application program, it is a further inconvenience to require that the viewer use a keyboard or mouse to activate various pull-down menus and the like for the application program. Consequently, the conventional display model for launching and interacting with programs in a windowed environment cannot be readily adapted to a remote control television environment.
Another computer feature normally provided in a windowed display environment such as Windows95 is a display menu with multiple choices which can be selected by mouse or keyboard. For example, pressing the xe2x80x9cSTARTxe2x80x9d button in Windows95 causes a display to be generated with options such as Programs, Settings, Find, Help, Shut Down, etc. The underlined characters in the previous list represents xe2x80x9cacceleratorsxe2x80x9d which permit the user to quickly select a desired item by pressing a single keyboard key (e.g., xe2x80x9cpxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9csxe2x80x9d, or xe2x80x9cuxe2x80x9d) rather than scrolling through the list with a mouse or arrow key. Unfortunately, if a viewer uses a remote control device which lacks alphabetic characters, these shortcut selection techniques cannot be used. Moreover, the choices are not mutually exclusive (e.g., note that the letter xe2x80x9cSxe2x80x9d does not uniquely distinguish between xe2x80x9csettingsxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cshut downxe2x80x9d; thus, the alternative xe2x80x9cuxe2x80x9d designator must be used to select xe2x80x9cshut downxe2x80x9d). Although one solution is to force the user to scroll up or down using arrow keys to select a choice, this is not always convenient for a remote user. Consequently, a need exists to improve the way in which a user navigates through a menu list when using a remote control device to control computer functions. Moreover, providing a conventional cascading type menu display in an entertainment environment uses up valuable display space, causing for example a television program to be obscured with menu options.
Some keyboards include an xe2x80x9cApplicationxe2x80x9d dedicated key which may be configured by software. Pressing such a button, for example, may cause a menu to be shown with options such as cut, paste, copy, etc. However, the button operates the same way regardless of the display mode in which computer is operating.
Another problem which can occur when computer functions are implemented on a large screen such as a large-screen television display is that menu selection choices are not adequately distinguishable from the background. For example, if a television program is displayed on the screen and the user activates a menu to select a choice, the conventional menu choice highlighting techniques may not permit the selected choice to be clearly distinguished against the moving background. Consequently, a need exists to enhance highlighted menu choices in such an environment.
Another problem which occurs when a computer function is implemented on a large-screen display is that screen display resolutions which are suitable for a smaller screen display may not be suitable for a larger screen. Merely allowing the user to change the resolution size on the larger screen, as is conventional, does not adequately permit the viewer to control how large the resulting window elements are. For example, switching the screen resolution to 800 by 600 pixels for a large screen TV will result in smaller icons and menu items, thus detracting from the advantages of using a larger screen. Consequently, a need exists to permit the user to more flexibly control the size of screen components in relation to different variables.
Yet another problem concerns how application programs behave in a windowed operating system such as Windows95. The conventional application programming model assumes that other application programs can be simultaneously executing, but does not take into account the fact that a television program or movie may be in progress on the computer display, and does not take into account the fact that in such a xe2x80x9ctheater modexe2x80x9d environment the user may have access only to a simple remote control device rather than a conventional keyboard or mouse. Consequently, a need exists to provide an enhanced mode in which application programs behave differently when a theater mode has been activated, in order to simplify the operation of the applications when a remote control is used.
Finally, conventional techniques for indicating to a user the contents of a folder (e.g., text files, executable programs, sound files, movies, etc.) often lack sufficient detail to permit the viewer to recognize the nature of the contents of any particular item. For example, the user may merely be provided with an indication that a folder contains 3 text files, a word processor application, and a movie having a particular name. The user must actually start the movie to see whether the movie is a desirable one, and the user must either open the text files or launch a viewer application to display partial contents of the text file. In short, there is no easy way for the user to quickly determine whether any particular folder item is of interest.
The present invention generally relates to an operating environment for controlling a computer using limited input devices, such as a remote control device. Through providing an enhanced operating environment directed to limited input control as well as a system and method for transitioning to and from the enhanced remote operating system, the problems of the prior art are overcome.
The present invention provides a graphical user interface usable to control a computer system using, for example, a remote control device which includes buttons enabling specific functions to aid in the operation of the computer. In order to compensate for the large distance between a user and a large-display, the present invention provides simplified features which permit the user to fully control computer functions on a large screen.
To facilitate such control, an enhanced remote control having two additional buttons, a start button and a menu button, is employed. The start button may be application independent and allows a user to quickly pick between available applications or tasks. The menu button is contemplated to be application dependent in that the options available through its operation may be tailored to the currently running application. For example, if running a spread sheet financial program, pressing the menu button may provide spread sheet specific menu options including applications and tasks like copy cell, copy formula, etc. If running a CD player program, pressing the menu button may provide CD specific menu options including play, pause, stop, reverse, fast forward, etc.
To facilitate the easy selection of a popular application or task, the present invention includes numerical accelerators which are displayed on a user""s display corresponding to available menu items. To select a specific application or task, a user presses the appropriate numerical button on the user""s remote control.
To facilitate the user""s navigation through multiple levels of menus, the present invention includes the use of enhanced scrolling techniques to allow users to quickly select applications from listed choices without navigating through multiple levels of nested or cascading menus.
The present invention also includes highlighting selections of a selection menu so as to enable a user to determine easily from a distance the current position of a selection menu. For example, one way of highlighting the current selection is through the use of a focus frame, an enlarged frame encircling the current selection. The invention also uses alternative colors to represent the current selection, either in combination with the focus frame or without the focus frame.
To assist a user in determining information about a listed application, the present invention includes previewing the listed applications through a preview frame. The preview frame displays information relating to the contents of a folder. To enable faster access of the preview frame as well as prevent unnecessary loading of system memory with an application before the application is actually requested by the user, the invention determines the identity of a current selection and retrieves the contents of a data structure which includes the preview information of the current selection item. Instead of the actual selection being loaded, a short preview of the application, or other material (a commercial for another application or product) may be displayed. Notably, the information as displayed by the preview function described herein is not required to originate with the original application. The preview information may include textual information, graphics, videos, sound clips and the like. The invention also supports interactive previews. For example, while displaying a preview of a game, a user may be allowed to at least minimally interact with the preview to create the perception of actually playing the game embodied in the current selected application.
Further, the present invention includes the addition of a second graphical user interface mode directed to current PC operating functionality (requiring a more sophisticated input device such as a mouse and/or a full keyboard, for normal operation). The operating system of the present invention supports an ability to switch between the first and second graphical user interface modes based on the input device used to control the operating system. For example, when a user presses a key on a keyboard, the system may switch to a normal PC mode of operation. Likewise, when a user presses a key on a remote control, the system may switch back to a theater mode of operation.
As a user switches modes of operation, the various applications are alerted to the change of mode of operation so that, when actually executed, the various applications present a GUI tailored for control via a limited input device from a distance. For example, the applications are modified to be viewed and controlled from a distance using enlarged font types, minimized nesting of options, and context sensitive function keys which change their operation based on the running application.
Other features and advantages will become evident through the following detailed description, figures and claims.